CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo., Aug. 17, 2001 - In an effort to make sure that every child in Missouri learns to read, early childhood educators statewide can participate in professional development training with Heads Up! Reading beginning Oct. 4.

Heads Up! Reading is a distance learning course that provides teachers with the latest research on how children learn to read and write. Based on the major National Academy of Science Study, Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children, the course delivers 44 hours of college-level training to early childhood professionals, Parents As Teachers educators, public school teachers, parents and others interested in building early reading skills.

Missouri is only the fifth state in the nation to develop a statewide Heads Up! Reading network. The course is delivered via live, interactive broadcast over satellite television, giving learners the chance to speak directly with national faculty. Trained, on-site facilitators add the high touch element to this high-tech learning model. College credit for the course will be available through Southeast Missouri State University, University of Missouri, St. Louis Community College and Penn Valley Community College.

Heads Up! Reading is funded by the Missouri Department of Health, Elementary and Secondary Education and the Head Start State Collaboration Office, with help planning and coordinating from the Department of Social Services, Literacy Investment For Tomorrow (LIFT-MO), Parents As Teachers National Center, Inc., Missouri State Library and the Missouri Association for the Education of Young Children.

Heads Up! Reading is an initiative of the non-profit National Head Start Association, in collaboration with RISE Learning Solutions, a non-profit distance learning organization; and the Council for Professional Recognition, a non-profit group that supports and promotes high standards for early childhood educators.

For information on registration please contact Kristen Foltz-Schlegel, Training Coordinator, Child Care Resource & Referral at Southeast Missouri State University at (573) 290-5595 or toll free at (800) 811-1127 or email at kschlegel@semo.edu or look for the Heads Up! Reading link on the Missouri Head Start Association website (www.moheadstart.org).

SOUTHEAST DIRECTOR OF ADMISSION NAMED MIATPA SCHOLARShani Lenore receives research grant by the NACAC

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo., Aug. 17, 2001 - Southeast Interim Director of Admissions Shani Lenore, former associate director of admissions for minority student recruitment, was recently named a Multicultural Institute for Advanced Thinking and Practice in Admission (MIATPA) Scholar and awarded a research grant by the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC).

The grant will fund research by Lenore on specific socioeconomic status (SES) factors and the impact they have on the state funding invested in a student’s education. Findings from this research will help higher education institutions, specifically state institutions, rethink their role in achieving equal educational opportunity earlier in the process, possibly through early awareness programs.

“There is an achievement gap between minority and majority student,” Lenore said. “Being a person of color, I feel it is a privilege to be conducting research to help reduce the gap.”

NACAC is an education association of both secondary and high education college admission counseling professionals who work with students as they make the transition from high school to post-secondary education. MIATPA is an NACAC program designed to promote original research bringing about change in institutional behavior, policies and practices as it pertains to recruitment, admission and retention of students of color. All research is funded by the association, and scholars are guided by a board of mentors.

“Every college and university in the U.S. belongs to the (NACAC) association. They set our ethical standards and principles,” Lenore said. “It is such great honor to be one of the three scholars selected.”

Lenore was selected along with two other scholars for 2001-2002. Dr. Cynthia Greer, assistant professor of education at Trinity College in Washington, D.C. and James Rawlings, assistant director of admissions at the University of Washington.

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo., Aug. 17, 2001 - Faculty members in the Department of Music at Southeast Missouri State University will present a Faculty Showcase Concert Sept. 25 at The Sheldon Concert Hall in St. Louis.

The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. and is open to the public. The Sheldon Concert Hall is located at 3648 Washington Blvd. in St. Louis, directly behind The Fox Theater in Grand Center.

The concert will feature members of the music faculty from Southeast performing a wide variety of pieces ranging from works by Baroque masters to newly-composed music by the Department's Professor of Composition.

Performers will include the Southeast Baroque Trio, consisting of Professors Gary Miller, Sara Edgerton and Paul Thompson. The Baroque Trio will offer a suite for baroque flute, harpsichord and cello by a contemporary of J.S. Bach. Professor of Violin Ronald Francois also will be on the program.

The Trumpet/Piano Duo of Rebecca and Marc Fulgham will perform an arrangement of works by George Gershwin. Professors Christopher Goeke and Leslie Jones will perform several Romantic vocal duets. Composer Robert Fruehwald also will appear on the program, performing a new work for flute and piano with flutist Paul Thompson.

This concert is the second Faculty Showcase presented by Southeast's Department of Music at The Sheldon. The first concert in September 2000 was so successful that the staff of The Sheldon invited the faculty to a return engagement as soon as the concert concluded. Faculty, staff and administrators joined alumni, students and the general public at this first concert and a gala reception which followed. This year's concert also will be followed by a reception for the performers and the audience.

Admission to the concert is free to members of the Southeast Alumni Association and Southeast students, faculty and staff. General admission to the performance is $5.

For more information, contact Southeast Alumni Services at (573) 651-5159.

SOUTHEAST OPENING DAY ENROLLMENT UP NEARLY FOUR PERCENTEnrollment expected to surpass 9,000 by fourth week census

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo., Aug. 21, 2001 – Total enrollment at Southeast Missouri State University is up by nearly four percent, according to a preliminary unofficial report compiled at the beginning of the first full day of the fall 2001 semester.

Classes at Southeast began Aug. 20.

Total combined undergraduate and graduate student headcount stands at 8,342, up 3.9 percent from 8,032 at this time a year ago.

When a final census report is issued in four weeks, Southeast Missouri State expects to have a total headcount surpassing 9,000.

Dr. Pauline Fox, vice president for administration and enrollment management, says total fall headcount last year increased by 919 from the first day of classes to the fourth week census. In both fall 1998 and fall 1999, Southeast gained more than 700 students during that four-week period.

“It is a good possibility that we will have a record enrollment,” Fox said. “I am very pleased. Our numbers are really very good.”

Fox added that it is likely Southeast will surpass a 1984 enrollment high of then 9,189. She says the Southeast campus is vibrant and that residence halls are full with 2,349 students living on campus.

“We are virtually at full capacity,” she said, “but we have been able to accommodate everyone.”

Fox said only a few students have been temporarily housed with community advisors, who generally are housed in private rooms.

In addition to the increase in total headcount, total full-time equivalency is at 6,868, up 4.6 percent from fall 2000. Fox says this indicates “more than just an increase in a few more students taking a few more hours. This means we have a significant increase in the number of credit hours students are taking.”

Total undergraduate student headcount stands at 7,519 today, up 4.8 percent from fall 2000. Beginning freshman headcount is 1,607, up 6.4 percent from this time last year.

“That is just about where we expected our freshmen numbers to be,” Fox said.

Continuing freshman headcount is 799, down five percent from fall 2000.

Sophomore headcount stands at 1,589, up 4.4 percent from this time last year. Junior headcount is 1,460, up 4.8 percent from fall 2000. Senior headcount is 1,784, up 4.5 percent from this time last year.

“In addition to our freshman numbers being up, sophomore, junior and senior headcount is up as well,” Fox said. “This is due to our having several years in a row of steady enrollment growth.”

Total graduate student headcount stands at 823, down 2.5 percent from fall 2000.

“While today’s figures are preliminary, the indication is that our final enrollment figures will be even more positive,” Fox said.